This section introduces information from the art that may be related to or provide context for some aspects of the techniques described herein and/or claimed below. This information is background facilitating a better understanding of that which is disclosed herein. Such background may include a discussion of “related” art. That such art is related in no way implies that it is also “prior” art. The related art may or may not be prior art. The discussion is to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In the oil and gas industry, use of well bores for the purpose of production or injection of fluid is common. The well bores can be used for exploration or extraction of natural resources disposed within formations, such as hydrocarbons, including oil and gas, water (collectively referred to herein as “formation fluids”) or for CO2 sequestration, for example. To increase the production from a well bore, a production zone located adjacent to the well bore may be fractured to allow for formation fluids to flow more freely from the production zone to the well bore.
The fracturing generally includes pumping fracturing fluids into the well bore at high pressure to fracture the subsurface formation. To retain the fractures in an open condition after fracturing pressure is removed, the fractures are typically physically propped open with a particulate matter known as a proppant, which is injected into the well bore with the fracturing fluid.
The proppant can be brought to the wellsite via road, rail or water, for example. Typically, transportable containers containing the proppant are situated at an area near the well bore and a conveyor belt system is used to deliver the proppant to a hopper, which subsequently feeds to a blender as needed. The blender can also receive a number of other materials, including water and dry or fluidic chemical additives, to form the fracturing fluid.
However, time, manpower requirements and mechanical maintenance issues are variable factors that can significantly influence the cost effectiveness and productivity of a fracturing operation. Further, existing processes can produce significant dust causing safety concerns for workers and maintenance concerns for equipment on site, and involve numerous conveyor belt arrays and associated motors, with accompanying high costs, maintenance and related environmental impact.
This invention is directed at least at resolving, or at least reducing, one or more of the problems mentioned above.